Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
K17 — Ornithomorphic groom.
Source data for narratives and traditions is drawn from Berezkin’s Analytical Catalogue. If you use this data, please acknowledge and link to it: Ю.Е. Березкин, Е.Н. Дувакин. Тематическая классификация и распределение фольклорно-мифологических мотивов по ареалам. Аналитический каталог.
Summary of motif
OverviewA male character in the form of a winged creature approaches a girl and either magically or unnoticed by her impregnates her. See motif K16: taking the form of an animal or bird, he enters the girl's house.
Berezkin category: Adventures: Acts of heroes
This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 10, Adventures.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| H27 | 94.27% | Before spreading throughout the world, stinging or blood-sucking insects or reptiles, diseases or evil spirits were kept in a vessel, bag or other small container. See motif H24. |
| K16 | 92.93% | Taking the form of a bird, bat, insect, small animal, or fish, the man enters the young woman's home (her father's house). |
| I3 | 92.78% | Lightning (and thunder) is produced by an object (sword, arrow, whip, mirror, etc.) in the hands of a character; lightning is an object. |
| J7 | 92.75% | A woman or girl sets off to her husband (beloved) or relatives, or a man sets off to find a bride. She or he loses their way after a certain character substitutes the signs indicating the way. See motif J12. |
| I20 | 92.02% | The inhabitants of the underworld or the land on the horizon where the sky meets the earth are dwarves. See motif I14A. |
| H24 | 91.70% | A vessel or other small container with valuables or living beings (creatures) is opened (prematurely). Its contents get out of control or disappear. |
| F39 | 91.39% | In the past or in distant lands, women dominated men, were the active party in marital relations, and engaged in male activities. Men engaged in female activities. Later, the situation changed. Either women missed the opportunity to gain superiority. See motif F38. |
| F86 | 90.52% | A character calls another character of non-human nature (a mate or ward) with a conventional signal; the other character sees this, makes the same signal or utters the same words, takes on the appearance of the character they have come to replace, kills those who come out to meet them, or makes use of their sexual services. |
| E22 | 90.19% | Once inside a certain creature, the swallowed character learns rituals, songs, ornamental motifs, obtains drugs or poison, and, once outside again, passes this knowledge on to people. |
| A24A | 90.03% | At the moment of the first day or the first night, people transform into supernatural characters. |
See the 100 most similar distributions →
Map of motif dispersal
DistributionDrag the map to pan, use the scroll wheel to zoom — choose a texture or projection below
Traditions
75 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 75 traditions: Arabs of Levant (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan); Bedouins of Sinai, Malagasy, Ngbakka, Mbum (incl Mbai), Mundang, Fali, Tupuri, Maya (=Bali), Nyong, Ganda, (Ba)Nyoro, Nyankole, Masaba (Gisu), Luia (=Luyia, Haya, Luhya, Bantu Kawirondo; incl. Vugusu, Maragoli), Melanesians and Papuans of Northern Solomons: Buka, Bougainville (Siuai, Buin), Eastern Arunachal Pradesh: Abor (incl Minyong, Shimong, Padam, Pasi, Panggi), Apa Tani (Apatani), Bori, Bugun, Dafla (=Nyishi, Nisi, Nishing, incl Tagin), Gallong (=Galo, Adi), Mishmi, Tamil, Muthuvan, Marvar, Tamils, England, British, Bretons, Portuguese, Portugal, Catalan, Sicily, Sicilians, Ancient Italy: Latins, Etruscans, Magna Graecia, France, Germans: North (Low- and Central German dialects): Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg, Pommern, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony, incl East Frisia and Oldenburg), Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Thüringen, Saxony-Anhalt, Sachsen, Brandenburg, Rügen, Greeks (modern), Balkarians, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Ancient Greece, Lithuanians, Danes, Danish, Western Ukrainians, Karachays, Balkar, Tats, Georgians, Armenians, Anatolia Turks, Kazan (Middle Volga) Tatars, Southern and Central; Ryukyu Islands: Yaeyama, Miyako, Okinawa, Negidal, Manchu, Reindeer Koryak, Maritime Koryak (Alyutor), Tagish, Inland Tlingit, Kaska, Bering Strait Inupiat (incl. King Island), North Alaskan Inupiat, Tlingit, Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw), Western Ojibwa (Chippewa), Eastern Ojibwa (Missisauga, Timagami and other groups in eastern Ontario), Northern Ojibwa (=Severn Ojibwa, Sandy Lake Cree), Plains Ojibwa, Carrier, Navajo, Tepecano, Mam, Ixil, Aguatec, Avakatec, Quiche, Achí, Cakchiquel, Pocomchi, Pocomam, Huastec (Teenek), Gulf Nahuatl, Mixtec, Trique, Cuicatec; Amuzgo, Chol; pre-Columbian Mayan iconography outside of Yucatan, Lacandon, Kekchi; Mopan, Paya (Pech), Sumu, Misquito, Kogi (Cagaba), Sanha, Creols of Aritama Valley, Piaroa, Yanomamo (Yanoama): Yanomam, Yanomami, Pemon: Arekuna (incl. Kamarakoto), Taulipang (Taurepan), Wanana, Tucano proper, Pira-Tapuya, Arapaso, Cubeo, Tariana, Lima dep: Costa and adjacent Sierra (Spanish, Kechua, and Jacaru-speaking communities, mostly in Pachacamac, Cajatambo, Canta, Huarochirí; Spanish sources of XVI-XVII centuries), Kechua-speaking communities of Apurimac, Cuzco, Arequipa, Puno departments; Spanish sources of XVI-XVII centuries; Callawaya (Kechua with Pukina substratum), Ashaninca (Campa), Paresi, Mataco, Toba (incl Pilagá), Guarani of Paraguay and Brazil: Caygua, Mbia, Apapocuva, Nyandewa, Chiripa, Chechens, Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Italians: Central (Toscana, Umbria, Marche, Lazio), Itelmen, Russian Federation, Spain
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